N.Y. Public Health Law § 2500-h: Statewide perinatal data system

* § 2500-h. Statewide perinatal data system. 1. In order to support

quality care at all hospitals with obstetric services, the department is

authorized to provide de-identified information for all births at each

affiliate hospital in each regional perinatal center's network to the

regional perinatal center and the affiliate, except that such

information shall include zip code and a unique identifier such as

medical record number.

2. The information when received by the department shall be used

solely for the purpose of improving quality of care and shall not be

subject to release under article six of the public officers law, and

where applicable, shall be subject to the confidentiality provisions of

section twenty-eight hundred five-m of this chapter, except that the

release of birth certificate information shall be subject to section

forty-one hundred seventy-four of this chapter.

3. The commissioner may release information collected through the

statewide perinatal data system to his or her designees, including

persons or entities under contract with the department to review quality

of care issues, as required to monitor regional perinatal centers and

affiliate hospitals and conduct quality improvement initiatives as

needed to monitor, evaluate and improve patient care and outcomes. Such

designee or person or entity under contract with the department to

review quality of care issues shall maintain the confidentiality of all

such information and shall use it only to improve quality of care, as

approved by the department.

* NB There are 2 § 2500-h's